Exploring Lincolnshire Wolds & Market Towns Planning your visit Planning your How to get to the Lincolnshire Wolds to the Lincolnshire to get How Welcome to the Lincolnshire Wolds Exploring Lincolnshire Wolds & Market Towns visit Planning your This guide is packed full of ideas of things Planning your visit to do and places to visit; whether this is your first time holidaying in the Lincolnshire Food & Drink 6 Wolds or if you’ve been before, you’ll find the area has something for everyone. Inspiration & Heritage 8 Stunning locations, unique Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire 14 characters, charming towns, Get Active 16 heritage and fabulous food Lincolnshire Wolds – the Lincolnshire Wolds Market Towns 18 welcomes you. Alford 24 Whether you’re looking for an exciting adventure, a gastronomic holiday, a Coningsby 26 romantic getaway, or just to relax and enjoy the peaceful beauty of the countryside; the Horncastle 28 Lincolnshire Wolds is the perfect retreat for Louth 30 all the family. Spilsby 32 Tattershall 34 Woodhall Spa 36 Surrounding Area 38 Area Map 40 visitlincolnshirewolds.com 3 Planning your visit Planning your There is a fantastic choice of places to A taste of tradition visit in the Lincolnshire Wolds. From the architectural splendour of Gunby Hall, to Home to some of the UK’s finest produce, the acclaimed market towns of Louth and you can’t afford to miss out on sampling Alford, not forgetting the home of one of the Lincolnshire Wolds’ gorgeous gourmet the UK’s best-loved motor racing circuits, delights. It’s no wonder that Lincolnshire Cadwell Park, this Area of Outstanding was voted Britain’s favourite food spot last Natural Beauty offers so much to delight, year in a public poll. fascinate and enthrall. Visit the market town of Louth heralded To give you a helping hand, we’ve by TV chef Rick Stein as “The finest little compiled our Top Five Shortlist of the most market town in Britain”, and the Hairy unmissable things to do. Bikers as: “A great foodie centre, full of wonderful shops”, Louth is the place to sample an amazing array of produce; including the famous Lincolnshire Sausage, Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese, Lincolnshire Plum Bread and Stuffed Chine. 4 visitlincolnshirewolds.com Planning your visit Planning your A romantic picnic Collectable charm Pack up a locally sourced picnic and head to Voted one of the best antiques destinations the Blue Stone Heath Road with your loved in Britain with treasure troves of collectables one to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the and gifts, Horncastle continues to draw Lincolnshire Wolds from its highest point. in the crowds with an array of vintage porcelain, jewellery and books. Step back in time If you are heading out on the A158 from Take a trip to the town of Alford and visit Lincoln to Skegness, make sure you stop off the Manor House, reputedly the largest at The Second Hand Shop and Tearoom in thatched manor house in the country. Still Hagworthingham to see one of the largest featuring its original design and hiding a collections of tea cups and mugs in the beautiful garden, the Manor House is a country. perfect day out for the family. Alford is also home to the Five Sailed Windmill, one of Peaceful Sanctuary the last original working windmills, often Treat yourself to a relaxing day at Woodhall considered to be the finest in England. Spa. Featuring two top-class golf courses, a croquet lawn, an outdoor heated pool and an amazing selection of tea shops, this large village offers a beautiful sanctuary to escape from the hustle and bustle. visitlincolnshirewolds.com 5 6 Planning your visit l Food & Drink Savour some of Britain’s finest produce. finestproduce. someofBritain’s Savour Food & Drink visitlincolnshirewolds.com Food & Drink Food l Planning your visit Planning your Lincolnshire is a rich agricultural county, home to many talented producers who grow and make fantastic foods, locally and organically. The Lincolnshire Wolds is at the heart of the county, so you are never far away from hearty fare, real ales, food markets and farm shops. Visit the bustling markets in Alford, Horncastle, Spilsby, Mablethorpe and Louth, popular with locals and visitors alike, where you can peruse, taste and buy everything from homemade bread to Lincolnshire cheeses, all made and produced only a few Top 5 Lincolnshire Treats miles away. ◆ Lincolnshire Sausage For real ale enthusiasts, take a trip to the home of Fugelestou Ales at the Fulstow ◆ Lincolnshire Plum Loaf Brewery near Louth or one of the area’s ◆ Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese most popular attractions, the award- ◆ Batemans Ales winning Batemans Brewery in Wainfleet ◆ Stuffed Chine and sample how traditional Lincolnshire beer is produced. visitlincolnshirewolds.com 7 Inspiration & Heritage & Heritage Inspiration l Planning your visit Planning your Inspiration & Heritage The Lincolnshire Wolds is steeped in heritage and home to some of the country’s most celebrated ancestors. 8 visitlincolnshirewolds.com Inspiration & Heritage & Heritage Inspiration l Planning your visit Planning your Alfred, Lord, Tennyson Alfred Tennyson (1809 – 1892) was the Inspired by events of the day, his most most successful poet of the Victorian era, notable works include ‘Charge of the Light influencing countless people with his gift Brigade’, a tribute to the British cavalrymen of the written word. in the Crimean War. Not many people know that the once Poet Laureate was born here in the heart of the Did you know? Lincolnshire Wolds, in the idyllic sleepy ◆ Tennyson’s family owned over hamlet of Somersby. 2,500 books. As a free-spirited child schooled initially ◆ Tennyson used half the proceeds from in Louth, Tennyson grew up to study at his first published work to pay for a Cambridge University and is the only private stagecoach to Mablethorpe, person to achieve a Peer of the Realm, where he shouted prose along the way. thanks to his skills as a writer. ◆ At the peak of Tennyson’s career, he was Responsible for some of the most earning £10,000 per annum. celebrated poetry of all time, Tennyson ◆ Tennyson is buried in Westminster excelled at short lyrics, with much of Abbey. his work based on classical mythological themes. visitlincolnshirewolds.com 9 Inspiration & Heritage & Heritage Inspiration l Planning your visit Planning your Sir Joseph Banks Did you know? Sir Joseph Banks (1743 – 1820) was raised ◆ Known as the ‘Father of Australia’, at Revesby Abbey, on the edge of the Banks’ report started the deportation Lincolnshire Fens. of petty criminals to the country. It was during his schooling at Eton that the ◆ He was close personal friends with King explorer first began to show an interest in George III and was an unofficial director nature, ultimately leading to his further of the Royal Gardens at Kew. education in botany at Oxford University. ◆ Elected president of the Royal Society at With the sudden death of his father in just 23. He held the position for 42 years. 1761, Banks was thrust into property and ◆ He organised the first sheep to be sent land management as he inherited numerous to Australia. Lincolnshire estates. His interest in exploration led to his voyage on the infamous ship Endeavour, to assist Captain Cook on his travels to the South Seas and Australasia. 10 visitlincolnshirewolds.com Inspiration & Heritage & Heritage Inspiration l Planning your visit Planning your Captain John Smith Did you know? Born in the village of Willoughby in 1580, ◆ Smith was responsible for building the Captain John Smith is regarded as one first houses in Jamestown. of the country’s most famous explorers. ◆ Smith was injured in a gunpowder The son of an ordinary yeoman farmer, accident in 1609 and taken back Smith had great ambition and courage to England. and rose through the ranks of English society to become the Captain of Cavalry ◆ When Pocahontas visited England in with his own coat of arms - the mark of a 1616, Smith wrote to Queen Anne ‘gentleman’. to ask her to welcome Pocahontas as a ‘Princess’ to the court. The In 1607 Captain John Smith became an Queen granted this wish and met important leader of the first permanent with Pocahontas, who had married settlement in the New World at Jamestown, Englishman, John Rolfe. Virginia. He ensured its survival by building a relationship with Virginian Indians - one of whom was the legendary Pocahontas, who saved Smith’s life when he was due to be executed by her father. visitlincolnshirewolds.com 0011 Inspiration & Heritage & Heritage Inspiration l Planning your visit Planning your Sir John Franklin Another famous explorer from the region, The entire expedition disappeared and it was Sir John Franklin (1786 - 1847) was born 12 years before it was confirmed that Franklin in Spilsby in 1786. After joining the Navy had died on Beechy Island in July 1847. as a teenager he fought in two of the most A statue commemorating the famous famous sea battles, Copenhagen in 1801 explorer can now be seen in the market and Trafalgar in 1805. place in Spilsby. His first expedition to the Arctic took place in 1819 and he charted over 1,000 miles Did you know? of the Arctic coast. Franklin made a total ◆ During his first trip to the Arctic Franklin of four journeys to the Arctic during his and his companions were forced to eat lifetime. the lichen and leather from their boots Franklin was presented with the in order to survive. Geographic Society Gold Medal in 1829 ◆ Franklin was appointed Governor of and received a knighthood from King Tasmania in 1836. George IV in the same year. ◆ When Franklin made his last journey Franklin made his last voyage at the age to the Arctic he had been retired from of 59 to the Northwest Passage between Arctic exploration for 20 years.